Pallet



July 24, 1928.

R. v PROCTOR ET AL PALLET Filed D80. 29, 1924 Patented July 24, I928.

barren stares Pres] err-ice.

ROBERT V. PBOCTOR AND HARRY M. SCHAAB, 0F YOUNGSTOVJN, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE COMMERCIAL SHEAEING AND STAMPING COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PALLET.

Application filed December 29 1924. Serial No. 758,538

The present invention relates broadly to pallets of the type used in the molding machine art, and more particularly to a pallet of the character utilized for forming socalled concrete bricks, although the utility of the invention is not limited in this re spect. a f I At the present time it is customary in the manufacture ofso-called concrete bricks using cement, slag and sand, to form the bricks a plurality, usually seven, at a time. Such bricks are ordinarily formed on a wooden pallet about four feet in length and having strips nailed transversely across the ends thereof. In actual practice it has been found that wooden pallets warp quite badly, due to the absorption of moisture'under the operating conditions to which they are exposed and the subsequent drying out. After the tamping' pressure used in forming the bricks, which pressure maybe as high as 2500 pounds, is relieved from a warpedpah let, the pallet immediately tends to return to its warped condition, which results in cracking all of the articles supported there on. Furthermore, the steam used in drying the bricks softens the pallets, and objectionable cracks frequently form therein, such cracks making it impossible to produce perfect articles. The average life'of a wooden pallet of the type now commonly used is about six months.

in accordance with the present practice, the pallets carrying the formed articles are placed in side by side and in superimposed relation on a truck, by means of which they Jiay be transferred to the drying kiln. With wooden pallets itis not uncommon for an individual pallet or for a row of pallets to slip either laterally or longitudinally, thereby ruining a plurality of the formed bricks. It is desirable, while such pallets are supported ona truck, that spaces be provided between adjacent pallets to permit uniform circulation of air or steam therearound.

The present invention has for certain of its objects the provision of a metallic pallet adapted to bodily replace the wooden pallets now in use and provided with legs so arranged that they will serve to center the pallets with respect to the molds, and that they will support the pallets in the desired spaced relation when on a truck. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the lnvention, thepallets are so constructed that they are reversible side for side, thereby enabling any warpage which may occur to be quickly eliminated, and also reversible end for end, whereby the entire pallet may be subjected to uniform operating conditions. It is also desirable in many cases to form the supporting legs of such contour thatthe legs on one pallet will interlock with the legs on the adjacent pallets to prevent relative movement, and also to provide the desired circulation spaces therebetween.

lye are aware that it has heretofore been 1 1 v proposed, asshou n, for example, in Bentley Patent No. 817,689 of April 10, 1906, to provide a metallic body having legs secured at each end thereof on one side of the body of the pallet, the legs being secured in position by rivets, which rivets are utilized in the invention, it being understood that the drawings do not dehne the limits of our invent1on,as changes in the construction andoperation therein disclosed may be made without departing either from the Spirit of the invention or the. scopeof our broader claims.

linv the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of one form of pallet constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 1s a transverse sectional view, on

a smaller scale, through a pair ofpallets of.

slightly modified construction from that shown in Figure 1, the pallets being in su- POI'HDPOSQCl lQlfifilOllSlllP; I e

Figure 3 IS a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating one method of attaching the supporting legs;

Figure 4t is a perspective view of one end of a palletillustrating another embodiment thereof;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, partly broken away, and illustrating still another embodin'ient of the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Figures 7 to 13 are detail longitudinal sectional views illustrating still further embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and

Figure 14 is an end elevation showing still another form or the invention.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of our invention, we propose welding the legs in position or forming the legs by struck up portions from the main body of the pallet, although it will be obvious that riveting can be employed, if desired. Throughout the specification and claims, we have used the expression integral to define either legs welded in position whereby structurally they constitute an integral part of the pallet, or to define legs which are actually formed by displacing parts of the body of the pallet. The expression, however, is exclusive of constructions in which the legs are riveted or bolted in position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, the main body portion 2 of the pallet is formed of suitable sheet metal and provided with end portions 3 of reduced width. The body portion is reinforced by longitudinally extending ribs or grooves l terminating short of the reduced, end portions, whereby the end portions throughout the entire cross section of the pallet lie in a common plane. posite sides of each ofthe end portions are secured U-shaped legs 5 having down turned ends 6 which are preferably abutted against opposite sides o1 the end portions 3, as illustrated in detail in Figure 3, and then welded in position, As a matter or operating convenience, the overall length of the supporting legs is preferably slightly greater than the width or the reduced end portions, whereby the down turned ends 6 project slightly beyond the sides of the end portions to provide a channel or groove 7 facilitating welding.

The horizontally extending surfaces of the supporting legs are roughened, knurled, corrugated, embossed or checkered, in known manner, to provide means for interlocking adjacent pallets and preventing relative movement therebetween. A convenient form of interlock may be provided by forming the legs with transversely extending corrugations 8 interrupted by a longitudinally extending groove or channel 9, which in turn has spaced struck up bosses 10. With this construction, as illustrated, for example, in Figure 2, the corrugations 8 inter-engage to prevent relative lateral movement of superimposed pallets, while the bosses 10 on one pallet interiit with the depressions formed by the groove 9 on the other pallet to prevent relative longitudinal movement. In Fi 'ure 2 the parts corresponding to the parts shown in Figure 1 are designated by the same reference characters having a prime atiixed thereto.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 differs from that shown in Figure 1, in that the body portion 2 of the pallet is not provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing means, but throughout its entire length and width lies in the plane of the s end portions 3. This permits the pallet to be reversed either end for end or side for side when utilized with a common support as t'reopaently provided in a block or brick forming machine. The form illustrated in Figure 1, if reversed side for side, will require a support having its side portions shaped to cooperate with the reinforcing means 4c. WVith such a support, however, it will be apparent that this form of pallet is capable oi being doubly reversed as pointedout in connection with the construction of Figure 2.

With either form of the invention, the legs 5 preferably have an overall length less than the width ot the main body portion of the pallet, whereby they may be utilized for centering the pallet, as well understood in the art. By providing flat end portions 3'01 3, this centering operation is facilitated as the mold may descend over the end portions and rest flatly on the pallet.

in Figure l the pallet 12 is illustrated as having reduced end portions 13 having struck out portions 11, the struck out portions preterably being staggered, whereby alternate. portions extend in opposite directions. These portions 11 are adapted to have secured thereto a leg 15 which may conveniently be in the form of a channel having its flanges 16 extending either in-- wardly or outwardly. It will be understood that the fianges may be suitably formed, for example, as pointed out in connection with Figures 1 and 2, whereby interlocking of adjacent pallets may be obtained. In this form oi? the invention, the body of the pallet 12 is illustrated as having oppositely disposed reinforcing flanges 1%, whereby with a pallet support of predeteri'nined construction, the pallet may be reversed either end for end or side for side.

The modified pallet illustrated in Figure 5 comprises a body portion 12 having a reduced end portion 13 and having longitudinally extending reinforcing flanges 14. These flanges may be constructed as illustrated in Figure 4-, or may both be disposed Ill) turned ends 6 oi Figure 1.

in the same direction as illustrated more particularly in Figure 5. The struck out portions 11, preferably staggered, as described in connection with Figure t, may be formed either with inwardly or outwardly disposedllanges 16', whereby the use of separate legs is obviated. It will be understood that with this construction also, the contacting surfaces of the legs may be shaped to facilitate inter-engagement and prevent relative movement between adjacent pallets.

Figures 1, 4: and 5 are illustrative of certain forms of longitudinally extending reinforcing means which. may advantageously be used with certain types of machines. lit will be understood, however, that the specific shape of the reinforcing edges may be varied as required, for example, by rolling, ribbing or otherwise fianging.

In Figure 6 the body portion 22 of the pallet. isshown as having reduced end portions 23 to which are welded or otherwise secured U-shaped legs 25 having down turned sides 26, as distinguished :t'roni the down These logs may b shaped as before described, or may merely be termed with longitudinally extending intermediate grooves 29, thegrooves in each instance being of a width sutlieient to receive the projections 30, whereby lengthwise move ment o't superimposed pallets is prevented. It will be obvious that the pallet illustrated in Figure 6 is doubly reversible, even when used with. a support of standard construc tion.

In Figure 7 the body portion 2 of the pallet is shown as having end portions 3* turned at substantially right angles to the body portion-and provided with projecting flangesl adapted to form cooperating supports between adjacent pallets. In this construction it will be obvious that the pallet, while reversible end for end, is not reversible side for side, as the legs extend only in one direction. 7

In Figure 8 the body 2" has turned ends 3*, supporting flanges -1 and inturned portions 5" adapted to abut against one side of the pallet.

In Figure 9 there is shown apallet con structcd in such manner as to be doubly reversible, the body portion 2 having an upturned end 3 turned outwardly to provide a supporting flange 4?, and thence downwardly to provide a vertically extending portion 5 and inwardly to form another supporting surface 6. The pallet illustrated in Figure 10 is similar to the pallet shown in Figure 9, with the exception that it is provided wit-haturther extending portion 7 adapted to abut against the body Of the pallet and further strengthen the supporting leg.

In Figure 11 the body 2 of the pallet is formed with a transversely extending channel 3 'which is adapted to have welded in,

cooperative relation thereto a second channel thereby forming oppositely disposed projecting legs, rendering the pallet doubly reversible. I V I In Figure 12 the channel 3 is shown as having a second channel l riveted in cooperative relation thereto.

The pallet shown in Figure 18 has opposite-1y extending transversely disposed chan: nels 3 and lsecured to opposite sides thereof, the tlanges'of' the channels extending either inwardly or outwardly as desired.

it will be understood that with all of the forms of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 to 13, both inclusive, the end portions of the pellets may be and preferably are of less width than the main body port-ions, whereby to obtain the advantages or centering before pointed out.

In Figure ll there is illustrated another. modification in which't-he pallet 31 has reduced end portions 32, these end portions having depressions and projections 33, similar to those illustrated, for example, in Figures 1 and 2. A signal leg 34:, having a corresponding surface 35, may be suitably secured to the pallet. In this manner the surface on the leg will directly engage the end portion of an adjacent pallet, to hold the pallets against relative movement. It Will be understood that where but one leg is utilized, it will have to have a height substantially twice that of the legs shown in Figures 1 and 2.

By reason of the interlocking of adjacent pallets, by initially assembling the pallets in offset relation, as in'Figure 2, air spaces may be provided between adjacent pallets permitting tree circulation of air therebetween during drying. 1

Certain advantages of the present inven-. tion arise from the provision of a pallet having integral supporting legs, while other ad-- vantages arise from the provision of oppositely extending legs adapted to perm-it double reversibility of the pallet.

Still further advantages arise from the provision of a pallet having end portions of reduced width in combination with supporting legs, and from the provision of end portions which lie in a. common plane throughout their entire cross section, or constructed to directly cooperate with the supporting leg 0'1": an adjacent pallet.

We claim 1. As an article of manufacture, a pallet comprising abody portion having end portions of reduced width, and at least one supporting leg for each end portion, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pallet comprising a body portion having end portions o=t reduced width, and oppositely projecting supporting legs at opposite sides of said end portions, substantially as described. 3. As an article of manufacture, a pallet comprising a body portion having end portions of reduced Width, and at least one sup' porting leg for each end portion, said end portions lying in a common plane throughout the entire cross section thereof, substantially described.

4;. As an article of manufacture, a pallet having portions of its supporting surfaces disposed out of the main plane thereof in diti'erent directions to provide a. plurality of similar interlocking means adjacent each end of the pallet, said means permitting stacking with adjacent pallets oliset laterally, substantially as described.

5. As an article of manufacture, a pallet having portions of its supporting surfaces disposed out of the main plane thereof in different directions to provide a plurality of similar interlocking means adjacent each end of the pallet, said means permitting stacking with adjacent pallets ol'lset longitudinally, substantially as described.

6. As an article of manufacture, a pallet having portions of its supporting surfaces disposed out of the mainplane thereof in dilierent directions to provide a plurality of similar interlocking means adjacent each end of the pallet, said means permitting stacking with adjacent pallets offset both laterally and longitudinally, substantially as described.

7. As an article of manufacture, a pallet having a body formed of a sheet of metal with its end portions reduced in width, and having legs connected to said portions of reduced width, the legs being also of less width than the pallet.

8. As an article of manufacture, a pallet having a body formed of a sheet of metal with its end portions reduced in Width, and having legs connected to said portions of reduced width, the legs being U shaped in cross section and being upstanding from the plane of the body.

9. As an article or". manufacture, a pallet having a body formed of a sheetof metal with its end portions reduced in width, and having legs connected. to .l per i of reduced Width, the legs being 11.50 Ol less width than the pallet, the longitudinal edges of the metal sheet forming the body extending at a material angle to the plane of the body so as to reinforce the same.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hand.

* nonnnr v. rnooron. HARRY M. SCHAAB.

CERTIFICATE 0F GQRRECTION.

Patent No. 1,678,443. Granted July 24, 1928, to

RQBERT V. PRGTR ET AL.

It is hereby certified that ertet nppeats in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as totlows: Page 3, line 91, for the word "signal" read "single"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of August, A. D. 1928.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

